Chapter 63: Delicate Ghost

“Hey!”

Xiu watched helplessly as the beautiful malicious ghost, who had just been threatening fiercely to kill him, suddenly collapsed like a kite with a cut string.

Before his brain could react, his body had already taken action one step ahead.

Xiu directly picked up the fallen Wen Chu. A golden light flashed from his fingertips, hitting the back of Wen Yaozu’s neck, who was still blowing the bone flute desperately.

Wen Yaozu was knocked unconscious, and the sound of the bone flute stopped abruptly.

But Wen Chu still showed no signs of waking up.

Xiu frowned tightly.

Before entering the venue, he was worried about exorcists attacking Wen Chu, so he tied the Five Emperors Coins on him.

Theoretically speaking, neither attacks nor deliverance attempts should have affected Wen Chu.

But remembering the red-clothed female ghost disappearing instantly just now, Xiu wasn’t sure anymore.

Looking at Wen Chu’s still bloody wrist, he pursed his lips, raised his head ignoring the shocked crowd, and said directly to Ren Chuanyu, “Give me an empty room.”

He had a Soul-Nurturing Jade in his bag. Malicious ghosts were also souls; the principle of nurturing souls should be largely the same.

Even if deliverance was needed, it wasn’t Wen Yaozu’s turn to deliver his malicious ghost.

Ren Chuanyu nodded and handed him a key: “Innermost room on the third floor.”

Xiu took the key and left, leaving everyone looking at each other.

“What do we do now?”

“What exactly was going on with that malicious ghost? How did she upgrade two levels in a row? Where did Xiu find the unjust soul?”

“Does this count as Wen Yaozu winning?”

Yuan Le exploded: “Win my ass! He relied on cheats to win unfairly!”

Ren Chuanyu looked at the chaotic scene, sighed, and stepped forward to organize the situation.

“Alright, a few people take Wen Yaozu down to rest first. Anyway, he solved the trouble. We’ll talk when he wakes up.”

“Also—” Ren Chuanyu glanced at everyone, her tone suddenly changing, “Just a red-clothed malicious ghost made you all panic like this. Our target this time is the Array Eye, the King of Ten Thousand Ghosts, far higher level than a red-clothed malicious ghost. If you keep arguing like this, go feed the malicious ghosts together.”

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

After a long while, Yuan Le said awkwardly, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t follow the rules. If Wen Yaozu wants to hit, let him hit.”

Anyway, that weakling, getting punched twice by him probably won’t even hurt.

Mainly it’s embarrassing.

Ren Chuanyu didn’t answer, just said, “Wait for Wen Yaozu to wake up then ask him. Everyone reflect on this properly.”

Ren Chuanyu glanced at Wen Yaozu as she spoke.

She was standing in the crowd, very close to Wen Yaozu, and could clearly see that the green-clothed malicious ghost only started to upgrade violently after seeing Wen Yaozu.

And Wen Yaozu’s reaction was also very strange.

A thoughtful look flashed in President Ren’s eyes.

Wait until the morning meeting ends, ask Xiu where exactly this Green Clothes came from, and remind him about the tricks inside by the way.

Ren Chuanyu inevitably thought of the red-clothed malicious ghost following Xiu since just now.

That red-clothed malicious ghost was born beautiful, with strange white hair, looking just barely of age. Unknown why Xiu kept him by his side and was so nervous about him.

Can’t really be a love debt, right?

Ren Chuanyu was amused by her own thought.

Xiu? Dating?

Compared to such an absurd possibility, she would rather believe that red-clothed malicious ghost was the Array Eye they were looking for.

Everyone had different thoughts. None of them noticed that on Wen Yaozu, who was dragged away, a red light flashed around the bone flute.

Exactly the same as the red on the female malicious ghost.

.

On the other side.

Wen Chu originally thought he would return to the System Space after fainting this time.

However, when he opened his eyes again, he saw not the pure white System Space, but pitch blackness.

Wen Chu was bewildered: “System?”

System: [Mn.]

Wen Chu: “Did you turn off the lights?”

System: […]

The System softly spat out the word “Stupid” and disappeared, leaving Wen Chu alone to continue staying in this darkness for a long time.

Unknown how much time passed.

“Slide—”

The sound of door rollers sounded. The sliding door was pulled open, and blinding light shone in from outside.

Only then did Wen Chu discover he was in an antique-style room.

The room was empty, with only a simple bed, not even a window. Closing the door meant complete darkness.

“Young Master.” The maid who pushed the door open said respectfully, “It’s time for cultivation.”

Wen Chu couldn’t help speaking out: “Who are you? Where is this?”

However, the maid just bowed respectfully, turning a deaf ear to his words.

Just as Wen Chu hesitated whether to ask again, the sound of chains being pulled came from inside the room.

A child no more than seven or eight years old walked slowly out of the darkness.

He wore an extremely complicated smoky gray straight-collared jacket with buttons down the front. The hem hung straight without any creases. It wasn’t hard to see this child hadn’t sat down just now.

“Clatter—”

The sound of iron chains being pulled again.

The cuffs swung slightly with the walking, revealing two handcuffs gleaming with cold light on the child’s bony, slender wrists.

Wen Chu was stunned.

Because he saw the appearance of the child walking into the sunlight.

Long white hair, blue eyes, very small, expressionless, like a pale dead person whose vitality was completely wrapped up by this layer of heavy clothes.

That maid said, “Young Master Wen, please.”

Wen Chu watched helplessly as the child left with the maid. That sliding door closed again, and the room plunged into darkness.

Wrists hurt so much.

This was Wen Chu’s first reaction.

Being locked by handcuffs hurts so much.

Such heavy handcuffs pressing on the wrists of a child no more than seven years old. No matter how careful the movements were, the tender flesh would be repeatedly worn down.

Again and again, until flesh and blood were blurred, exposing dense white bones.

“So painful…”

Wen Chu had no sense of pain. The reaction to feeling pain for the first time was incomparably violent. He almost curled up his whole body hugging his wrists.

Pain, how can it hurt like this.

It was as if his wrists were broken; every inch of nerve was jumping and clamoring with pain.

Cold sweat streamed down Wen Chu. He gritted his teeth wanting to call the System.

But just then, a gentle warm current flowed into his body.

Golden light wrapped around him. The pain on his wrists weakened instantly. Wen Chu smelled a familiar fragrance.

From outside the door came the crisp sound of a teaching whip hitting a human body.

But Xiu’s voice rang in his ears: “Hello? Hello?? …Baby?”

Wen Chu opened his eyes.

A brightness appeared before his eyes. He crashed into that cold transparent blue ocean instantly.

He was lying on Xiu’s lap. Xiu was frowning looking at him. Wen Chu was stunned for a good while before saying: “…Xiu.”

Xiu’s brow didn’t relax: “What exactly is going on with you?”

Wen Chu: “Eh?”

Xiu explained: “I thought you were delivered by Wen Yaozu. Just now I put the Soul-Nurturing Jade on you and transferred some spiritual power to you, only to find you show no signs of being delivered. But your soul is so weak that it will disappear in a day. Who exactly are you?”

The deeper a ghost’s resentment, the longer they stay in the human world. Like a red-clothed malicious ghost, staying for a hundred years is no problem. The weakness of Wen Chu’s soul was completely illogical.

Wen Chu looked at his lifespan panel.

Now his lifespan had reached three days and eight hours. Presumably, the spiritual power Xiu transferred to him just now was also counted as Yang energy.

Wen Chu told the truth: “I don’t know who I am either, but I know I can still live for three days now.”

The expression on Xiu’s face became more solemn.

Wen Chu comforted him very thoughtfully: “It doesn’t matter. As long as I stay by your side sucking your Yang energy, I can live forever.”

Xiu looked away: “I don’t have the kindness to save a malicious ghost. I came to deliver you.”

Wen Chu wasn’t surprised: “Oh.”

He also came to kill Xiu.

Wen Chu was still puzzled about the scene he just saw. He asked the System: [What was that just now?]

The System was concise: [Memories.]

Wen Chu was thoughtful: [Is this the past of this body? Then can I see where the Array Eye is and how it’s arranged through his memories, and then take Xiu to the Array Eye together?]

System: […Theoretically yes.]

Wen Chu was happy: [Then how do I continue watching memories? Are there conditions? That bone flute?]

System: [Mn.]

With a clue delivered right in front of him, Wen Chu was very motivated: [Okay, then I’ll go steal Wen Yaozu’s bone flute tonight!]

Before the System could answer, Wen Chu suddenly felt his right wrist being pulled up.

The pain just now was fresh in Wen Chu’s memory. Being touched on the wrist at this time, Wen Chu retracted his hand almost like an electric shock.

“Don’t touch me.” Wen Chu guarded his wrist vigilantly.

The slender wrist in his hand suddenly withdrew. Xiu was stunned for a moment: “Let me see the wound.”

Hearing this, Wen Chu looked down.

He saw that his right hand, which was bloody and exposing white bone just now, had actually recovered mostly. The wound wasn’t bleeding anymore, leaving only a circle of light pink newly grown flesh on the wrist.

“When I transferred spiritual power to you, I found my spiritual power could repair the wound on your wrist, so I repaired it for you in passing.” Xiu looked away. “If you don’t let me see, forget it.”

Logically speaking, he shouldn’t care about a malicious ghost’s injury at all.

But just now, while carrying Wen Chu upstairs, Wen Chu almost curled into a ball in his arms, hugging his bleeding wrist, humming intermittent sounds softly through his nose.

“Pain…”

Particularly pitiful.

Let alone having wrists worn down, other malicious ghosts would probably have difficulty feeling pain even if their heads were taken off directly.

Thin-skinned, tender-fleshed, delicate ghost.

Xiu scoffed coldly: “Delicate ghost.”

Wen Chu: ?

Wen Chu didn’t understand how he was delicate again. He looked at his wrist seriously, looked up and down, moved it a bit, and after confirming no problem, said seriously to Xiu: “Thank you.”

Xiu didn’t look up: “No need to thank. After all, I injured you.”

Wen Chu stopped talking. He felt that him getting injured struggling against the chain was one thing, and Xiu treating him was another. Two things to be settled separately.

He tentatively reached out and touched his wrist with newly grown flesh.

“Hiss—”

Wen Chu grinned and bared his teeth in pain, blood-colored tears appearing at the corners of his eyes.

Xiu had quick eyes and hands, reaching out to hold Wen Chu’s hand: “What are you doing? Fool.”

Wen Chu was aggrieved: “I just wanted to see if I could still feel pain.”

How would he know the new flesh was so fragile, and his perception of pain so sensitive?

How did he suddenly have a sense of pain?

“If you know you’re delicate, don’t test randomly.” Xiu was unforgiving verbally, but reached out to transfer another portion of spiritual power to Wen Chu.

That circle of pink tender flesh on Wen Chu’s wrist also began to recover, slowly changing back to the initial perfect appearance.

[Lifespan +10h]
[Remaining Lifespan: 3 Days 18 Hours]

Bathed in Xiu’s warm spiritual power, Wen Chu couldn’t help yawning comfortably.

Xiu withdrew his hand and stood up: “It’s fine now. I’m going to the meeting. Follow me.”

“Okay.” Wen Chu certainly had no objection.

He floated up directly, flew to Xiu’s back, and lay lightly on Xiu’s back: “Let’s go.”

Looking at the two slender arms extending from the bright red sleeves dangling in front of his eyes, Xiu ultimately didn’t take out the Soul-Binding Chain again.

Lying on Xiu’s back, leaning against Xiu’s cheek, Wen Chu suddenly remembered something and asked, “Where is the Soul-Nurturing Jade you mentioned?”

Xiu said he used the Soul-Nurturing Jade to transfer spiritual power to him, but he didn’t see it?

Carrying him, Xiu walked without stopping: “I found you didn’t have a heart, so I put it in the position of your heart in passing.”

“Oh.” Wen Chu nodded. He just asked casually and didn’t take it to heart.

Xiu, however, lowered his eyes.

To save Wen Chu, he let spiritual power circulate a cycle in Wen Chu’s body.

Inside Wen Chu’s body, not only was there no heart, but even the internal organs were empty, leaving only a brain.

Wen Chu was like an empty beautiful skin bag. Except for the outer skin, nothing was left.

Malicious ghosts only maintain their appearance before death.

Who was he before? What exactly did he experience? Why did he die in such a bizarre state?

Xiu asked softly, “What is your name exactly?”

Wen Chu said self-righteously, “My name is Baby.”

Xiu: …

“Stupid ghost.” He scoffed lightly, temporarily dismissing the idea of finding clues from the malicious ghost who knew nothing.

.

Treating Wen Chu delayed some time. When Xiu carried Wen Chu to the venue, many people were already sitting inside.

Wen Yaozu also woke up. At this time, changing his usual arrogance and domineering attitude, he was sitting in the corner shivering with a pale face. He was even scared enough to almost crawl under the table when he saw the bright red corner of Wen Chu’s clothes.

As for any bet—he had no heart to think about it at all, and Yuan Le thus didn’t suffer the humiliating two punches.

“Xiu.”

President Ren saw Xiu entering the door and beckoned to him.

“Here.”

Xiu walked to the seat next to President Ren’s main seat but didn’t rush to sit down. Instead, he turned his head to look at Wen Chu lying on his back.

“I sit on your lap?” Wen Chu proposed consciously.

Xiu: …

Sitting on his lap during a meeting, what propriety is that.

President Ren proposed actively with a smile: “Shall I arrange a separate seat for this little friend?”

Those present were all exorcists, and this ghost was brought by Xiu. She wasn’t afraid of this little ghost causing trouble.

Xiu didn’t speak, looking at the remaining seats.

President Ren sat in the main seat, he sat in the secondary seat, and further down was the head of another aristocratic family. The seating order of the Exorcist Conference was obviously arranged according to status. Arranging a seat for Wen Chu at this time, probably could only be arranged at the very end.

Xiu pulled out the chair: “No need.”

He pulled Wen Chu down from his back and held him on his lap like holding a doll: “I’ll carry him, lest he cause harm to others.”

Wen Chu suddenly felt slandered: “I didn’t.”

Xiu looked at him: “Who said they wanted to eat other exorcists’ Yang energy?”

Wen Chu: …

Wen Chu said weakly: “But didn’t I not eat? I am a good ghost; I only eat your Yang energy.”

“Good that you know.” Xiu circled his waist. “Sit properly.”

Wen Chu sat properly obediently, pulling up Xiu’s hand to play with repeatedly, adhering to the principle of “however small a mosquito is, it’s still meat,” diligently accumulating lifespan.

[Lifespan +1h]
[Lifespan +1h]
[Lifespan +1h]

Feeling the coldness at his fingertips, Xiu pursed his lips but ultimately said nothing, letting Wen Chu play.

President Ren, completely ignored: …

President Ren glanced at Xiu with an unbearable look, then looked at the people who had all arrived, and chose to state the key points first.

She supported herself on the table and said, “Quiet. Now we officially start the meeting.”

“Everyone should have received the meeting agenda. The Exorcist Conference regarding ‘Capturing the Escaped Array Eye’ will be held for three days in total. Day one for each party to state known intelligence and screen plans; day two to confirm plans and detail strategies; day three to confirm personnel and responsibility division.”

The big screen behind Ren Chuanyu lit up, and a Bagua Great Array hidden in the mountains and forests came into everyone’s view.

Ren Chuanyu said, “Then let’s start with me. The Ren family is the family guarding the Great Array this term, and also the first family to discover the Array Eye escaped. The time was zero o’clock yesterday. Without any warning, when we arrived, the Array Eye place was already empty.”

Xiu spoke: “Name, age, appearance, items used before death, do you have them? Can use Ghost Seeking Art.”

Ren Chuanyu nodded: “This is exactly what I wanted to say. The Array Eye’s information has always been sealed. Today, to find the Array Eye, I announce his information to everyone here.”

As she spoke, the PPT jumped.

A photo of an old ancient book appeared on it.

[Name: Wen Chu]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 18]

“Only these?” An exorcist below couldn’t help asking. “Don’t even have Eight Characters (Ba Zi), how to find?”

“Exactly. Do we have to shout ‘Wen Chu come out’ to call him out?”

Wen Chu nestled in Xiu’s arms: …

He breathed a sigh of relief secretly.

Fortunately, he was mindful and didn’t tell Xiu his name. Otherwise, the Exorcist Conference would turn into a martial arts tournament solely beating him up.

He had a sense of pain now; being beaten would hurt a lot.

Ren Chuanyu expressed helplessness: “No way. The ancient book only recorded these. There was only this much information left back then. Everyone speak freely.”

The crowd was silent for a while. After a while, someone proposed: “Are there any items left from before death? Use the Person Seeking Great Array?”

“I think we should look for his blood relatives. The surname Wen isn’t very common either.”

“Why did he voluntarily become the Array Eye back then? Which family was he from? Didn’t leave any message?”

…

Amidst the confused discussion, Xiu frowned, thoughtful: “If it’s a ghost trapped for so many years, the Yin energy should be extremely strong. Find a place with sufficient Yang energy, look at the ghosts attracted, and screen them one by one?”

Wen Chu played with Xiu’s hand obediently, listening to everyone discuss ways to catch him.

Don’t need to be so troublesome. Put a Xiu there and he will come himself.

Of course, this can’t be said. Wen Chu listened silently, wanting to hear what they finally planned to do so he could come up with countermeasures.

Even if going back, he would take Xiu’s soul back together. Anyway, he resolutely refused to be taken away.

Ren Chuanyu rubbed her brow: “It happened suddenly, and everyone is unprepared. How about this, everyone write out plans on the spot, upload to the office group, and we analyze feasibility one by one.”

Everyone had no objection. For a time, only the sound of keyboard typing remained in the conference room.

Xiu also took out a laptop from his backpack and started typing.

Wen Yaozu was still shrinking in the corner, trembling and muttering something to himself. But it was the same with or without him, and no one specifically asked him to write a plan.

Wen Chu yawned again.

As soon as he descended into the world, he was beaten by Xiu, cried several times, and caught off guard by having a sense of pain. Now he was tired.

Smelling the fragrance on Xiu, thinking about the croissant he couldn’t eat, Wen Chu fell asleep holding a grudge.

Xiu typed while holding Wen Chu. While typing, he saw the little malicious ghost on his lap tilt his head and fall straight toward the laptop.

Startled, thinking the other was weak again, Xiu hurriedly supported Wen Chu, hugging him to transfer spiritual power.

Then he saw the white-haired youth’s peaceful sleeping face.

Xiu: …

Wen Chu smelled the fragrance on Xiu and started craving bread again in his dream.

“Croissant…”

Xiu: …

“Stupid ghost.” Xiu coldly let Wen Chu lean in his arms to sleep, temporarily stopped the progress of typing the plan, and opened the food delivery app.

.

Wen Chu slept straight until the afternoon.

He was awakened by the sound of chairs being pulled and applause.

“…Since everyone has no objection, then we will adopt Xiu’s plan. Today’s meeting ends here. Everyone worked hard. I have arranged a hotel for everyone to rest. You can go to rest after collecting room cards.”

Wen Chu opened his eyes sleepily and saw Xiu’s side profile.

He was already being carried on the back by the standing Xiu.

“Leaving?” Wen Chu asked clingingly.

Xiu: “Mn, today’s meeting is over.”

Wen Chu was jubilant: “Then let’s go back to the hotel together!”

Xiu didn’t speak but carried Wen Chu towards Ren Chuanyu, who was packing materials: “President Ren, looking for me for something?”

Hearing Xiu’s voice, Ren Chuanyu stopped organizing materials and said, “Not a big deal. Just wanted to ask where your green-clothed malicious ghost today came from, and how it suddenly upgraded.”

Xiu briefly described meeting Wen Chu on the subway and subduing the green-clothed malicious ghost, then said, “Her death should be suspicious. Wait for the police investigation results.”

Ren Chuanyu was thoughtful: “Okay.”

“You might not have seen it. That Green Clothes suddenly started mutating after seeing Wen Yaozu. I guess it might be related to the bone flute in his hand.”

Xiu said “Mn”: “I also feel that his bone flute is a bit evil.”

Ren Chuanyu sighed: “Anyway, just don’t cause any big trouble. I arranged his room opposite yours. I have to trouble you to pay more attention to him.”

Xiu nodded: “Okay.”

After speaking, he prepared to leave.

Just then, Xiu’s phone received a message.

[Capital Public Security: Mr. Xiu, hello. After hospital examination, the deceased An Ya died of poisoning. Currently investigating related suspects. If you have time, hope you can come to give a statement.]

Actually really poisoning.

Xiu was stunned for a moment, then directly showed the message on the phone to Ren Chuanyu: “Just right, there’s a clue to that Green Clothes’ cause of death. If you need, you can request the file directly from Public Security.”

“Okay.” Ren Chuanyu nodded.

Wen Chu “hmphed”: “Told you I didn’t do it.”

Xiu: “…Sorry.”

Hearing this, Ren Chuanyu looked at Wen Chu on Xiu’s back and couldn’t help asking, “What about him? What do you plan to do? Keep him with you if you can’t deliver him?”

Wen Chu, being named, looked at Xiu.

He was also very curious about this question.

Xiu paused, then said, “Take him along.”

Ren Chuanyu smiled: “You are responsible.”

Xiu was expressionless: “Stupid, no threat, not heavy to carry, just treat as an air conditioner.”

Wen Chu: …

Wen Chu bit the back of Xiu’s neck angrily with an “Awoo.”

He wants to kill Xiu! Eat him! Eat him all up!

---

Author’s Note:
It’s just that meme: (Little cat running around: I want to kill everyone.jpg)
There was also a meme for the previous cat tail gun murder case hhh. I posted both memes on weibo. Those who haven’t seen can go check.